davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
, 1887-07-09

Oporto, to london, thus inducing the
delusion among purchasers that the
sham port came from the shores of
the Tagus, and not from the EIbe.
Further, the "piratical genius" was
accused of having recently shipped
raw spirit from Hamburg to the
Charente, with instructions TO his
agents at Tourney that the goods
should be branded Oognac, and at
oncetranshippedto England. Finally,
the circular stated that the plaintiffs
equivocal transaction Ind brought
him within the grasp of the French
law, and that h5 had been fined forty
thousand francs and sentenced to a
years Imprisonment. The plaintiff
in his examination stated that the
demand for cheap brandies in Eng
land was enormous, and that a proof
gallon would cost about ten shillings;
whereas the cheap brandies for ship
ment fetched from two to three shiI-
Iings. lie admitted chat he had been
in the habit Of exporting plain spirit
10 Hamburg for offending" purposes.
The stuff was shipped TO Bordeaux,
and thence sent to the Charente,
where he had registered a brand ac-
cOrding to the French law. He
maintained that he had carried on his
business from the very first quite
openly, in order that nobody could
be deceived as to the nature Of his
operations. In cross examination
there was elected from the candid
plaintiff IL number of facts of peculiar
interest to the brandy-drinking pub
lie. The plaintiff owned that he had
written to his agent at Tournay that
he wished to have the brand of "E
Durand and Co., Cognac." No such
firm was in existence. Ultimately,
seventy-two casks which the plaintiff
had instructed his agent on the other
side 10 purchase were seized by the
French Custom House authorities,
and he was fined and sentenced to
imprisonment, as the libel had set
out. With regard to the lively bust
ness in fictitious port, the communl-
cative plaintiff informed the cross
examining council that in 1884 there
had been some difficulty in tranship.
ping the Elbe vintages from Oporto,
as the genuine wine-shippers naturally
complained of German wine being
imported to be sent TO England as
real port. The Portuguese authori-
ties had consequently insisted that in
future such merchandise should be
branded German wine. The action
came to quite a cheerful ending. The
Judge, without summing up, asked
the jury what they thought about the
matter; the twelve honest men mer-
rily replied that they thought that
the defendants description of the
plaintiffs mode of doing business was
quite accurate ; w~hereupon a verdict,
with the hearty concurrence of the
Bench, was entered for the proprie-
tors of the wine and spirit trade civ
cular.
1t is as we'll thatAhe public at large
should know something more about
real and sham cognac. The full title
of the genuine article is "Eau de Vie
, 1887-07-09

" nOlOTlOuS. As Il 1ul0J t10 COSDaC
dispensed at French Gates is simply
execrable, while the more expensive
variety, called ard charged for as
sine champagne" is not much bet
ter, There are a few restaurants,
such as the Maison Doree and the
Cafe Richie, where genuine old cog
nac-the costliest from the cellars of
Napoleon Lean be obtained ; still,
the quantity of good brandy obtaira-
biz in France is annually diminishing,
Will the horrible and fiery form of
alcohol dispensed in the wine-shops
of the Assommoir type drives the
common people to madness and to
murder. The French do not like a
white spirit; and the ''torchiight pro-
cession" stuff imported is drugged and
loaded and colOured until il comes
to look like brandy.
Unless a stop be put to, ''liveIy
business" of the "E. Durand and Co."
kind, we shall be in danger of drink
ing, in England, brandy quite as
n%bominabIe as that sold in France.
As it is, ardent spirits are not adul-
terated to any great extent in this
country. The sophistication of gin
is certainly a practice quite unknown
10 modern distillers, and is mol re-
sorted 10 by many pubIicans. The
stories about vitriOl and other dele
terious ingredients being added to
gin to enhance its fiery qualities are
mainly fables. The worst that hap
pens to gin is that it is, when sold in
bottles, occasionally stretched" or
diluted with water, and this dilution
should bring a soothing solace to the
mind Of the abstaiDer, when he re-
members that his erring brother is
imbibing gin and water instead Of
pure gin, and that if he further dilules
the mixture he will be drinking three
water instead OF tw0-water grog.
Beer and gin-and a great deal too
much of both-are the favourite al
coholic beverages of the people; but
wine and cognnc are the rotations of
the upper and middle classes. 1t is
they who would be most injured were
the practice to be continued of lOist-
ing on them as genuine spirit vile
stuff from Hamburg, fraudulently
forwarded from France in casks with
a c0gnac brand and d"ctored in this
country to simulate the real article.
AS for wines, the public have abso-
lutely no protection against fraud un-
less they deal with wine merchants of
established repute. An immense pro-
portion of the wine sold in England
as cIaret has nothing to do with the
banks of the GarOnne, save that
harsh, heavy vintages have been
brought from Spain and Italy, md
dried currants from Greece, there
to be manipulated and re-shipped
to England and the rest of the
world ms Lafi.te, Larose, ST. Julien,
and St. Estephe. The French de-
clare that in this respect they can-
not help themselves that many Of
their vineyards have "giVen our;
and that, if they are ceasing 10 be
wine-growers. they have not ceased
TO be SkiIful wine manufacturers. The.
- .nt:nl- l;&.o0t xxla- 1-
, 1887-07-09

earthly favour which is inseparable
from wine produced from creeping
vines disappears in the process of dis
tillation. It is only for about a hum
dred years that the name of cognac
has been attached in France to bran
dy. At first the designation was ap.
piled only to the brandy at Cognac,
at AngOuIeme, and at Barb@zieuxi
but this commodity acquired such
great prestige that all the distillers OF
a de vie throughout France took to
calling their products cognac. 1t IS
very curious that England was the
first country to recognise the supreme
superb GRITTY of cognac, and to deveI-
ope a trade therein with herself and
other English nations. The
great spirit-trading firms at Cognac
and Angoul6me have branches, or ut
least agents, in London and Liver
pool, in the United States, and in Aus
tralia; and, stranger still to relate,
the native distiIlers at Cognac do
scarcely any business with the rest of
France. Everybody has heard of
MartelEs brandy and Hennessey'S bran
dy. The first of these famous Cog
nae houses was founded 10y a Jersey
man, the other by an Irishman. 1t
has been stated hat among the letters
written and received by the last nam
ed firm only two per cent. are in
French, while it has also been pointed
out that the town OF COgnac, being
situated on a river close to a seaport,
is practically carer London tAan
Paris. The importation of genuine
cognac to England has been greatly
favoured by the action of the English
fiscal authorities. Until 1860 our
Custom House would not admit into
bond any barrel of cOgnac containing
less than five hundred quarts, and in
addition it plumbed every "tiercon,"
Or butt, on landing, so that the spi-
~rit-dealer, when he took his purchase
out OF bond, was sure that they were
pure and veritable cOgnac brandies.
The French shipper was, on his part,
deeply interested in not losing the
custom of the English consumer by
exporting an inferior article, and he
knew equally we'll that his brand,
guaranteed rs it was by the French
Custom House, could never be made
to cover adulterated or deleterious
stuff. The precious system introduc-
ed Ivy az. Durand aud Co." was cal
culated wholly to upset and bring in
to discredit a long established and
honoutnble trade. It is to some ex-
tent satisfactory to know that we have
for many years been drinking better
cognac Than is drunk in France it.
self; and it is equally gratifying to
learn that our Customs authorities
now allow the importation of fractions
of butts down to cases Of bottles, al
ways guaranteeing the Cognac brand.
If, however, such impudent frauds as
the "E. Durand and Co.." system
were not exposed and denounced, the
guaranteed brand would be compare
lively worthless. "E. Dlrand and Co."
would be competed with by "Robert
Macaire and Co.," Jacques Strop
and Co.." "Cartouche and Co.," or
Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-23
Don't Want Them Changed

To the Editor OF the Republic:
l am glad to see some one rush into
print" to defend our old street names.
There is no need for any change except to
furnish some with a job in remaining and
numbering, and We should know wha,
coGncilmen are the partners in the new
scheme.
The main excuse is that strangers can't
find their way here easily In other words. a
few drummers who have regular customers
TO deal with, and know their locations. do
not always go TO see the same girl on differ
ent trips, and might get mixed up under
the present system.
The 35. 200 people who live here have no
trouble, after years residence, in finding
easily any man. woman or child il is neces-
sary TO see, and we should consult oar own
convenience rather than that of strangers.
Besides. the oldest Inhabitant could not. in
the rest of his life, learn the new system
G.K.
Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-23
General Lees Hen.

In Longs life of Lee an interesting story Of
hen is told A few chickens were once pre-
sented TO the general In the lot was laving
hen whose life was spared The hen accom-
panIef the army TO Gettysburg, riding in the
baggage wagon, and after that battle was
with the C"nfederates for nearly year. At
last the hen grew fat and law, and one day
the steward, finding his supplies very low and
knowing that the general expected distin-
gulShed guest at dinner. killed the hen and
she was served up on the altar of hospitality,
Ten. Lee was surprised to set. 50 fine "A fowl
set before him, but he little dreamed that his
pet hen had been slaughtered. When the hen
was missed, however, the steward had 10 con-
fess that he had been placed in position like
unto that of the boy who had to capture the
ground hog. There was company for dinner
and no meat.-Chicago Herald
Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-23

our German troops did yeomans ser
wee during the war, but it was hard for
'ome of theIn To adopt American ideas.
especially in military matters, and they
occasionally had strange views of the war
and the best means of bringing it to an
end. At the battle of Charlottesville the
Eleventh corps, largely composed of Ger
mans, was broken by Jackson, and re-
treated in considerable disorder, to put it
sery mildly. After the retrograde move
ment that followed that hattie officers OF
various corps We're in the habit OF discuss
ing the cause of the giving away of the
Eleventh and of the failure of the opera
tons. was present when a number of
officers, high in rank, We're talking about
the matter, some assigning one reason and
some another. At length German bripe-
dier arose, and with an air which implied
tha: no contradiction was possible. said;
II Will tell you what de trouble is, gentle
men; dere is too much of de American elc
ment in dis army" This oracuIar an
houncement set the company in a roar
bat is no unfair example OF the feeling
which was entertained by too many of our
foreign otiicers.-Col r. l.. Converse in
Globe Democrat.
Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-23
A Resolution

declaring II necessary 10 make public in
proVenenf by erecting a market house anC
city offlces, and procuring the necessary rea
estate as a site therefor and approaches
thereto, and for market space.
Resolved. by the city council of the city ot
Springfield. Ohio. That il is necessary and
tnat II Is Intended To make public improve
ment by erecting a market house and city on.
cts ana procuring the necessary real estat.
as site therefor. and approaches thereto
for market space.
The necessary real estate to be procured fo-
SAID purposes. is situated in the block bounded
by Market Space. Hi yh. Center and Washing.
Ion streets. in said city, and is bounded and
described AS follows: On the east hy the west
line OF Market space; on the north, hy a line
parallel To. and tlghty-fuur and a half fee,
south of the south line of High street on the
west. by the east line of Center street and on
the south by line parallel 10. and one hund
red and fifty feet south of the north bonn
dary line shove described
SAID market house and city offices TO be
erected IN the center Of said real estate and
50 as 10 leave two strips Of said real estate fifty
lett IN width. and extending from Marke;
space TO Center street. one ON the north and
the other on the south side of said Market
house and city Offices. for market space
The Guy clerk is hereby directed 10 pubIish
ihls resolution for two consecutive weeks in ?
newspaper published and of general circula-
tion IN the corporation.
Pa sed February I'D. 1857.
". :. THOMAS. President
Attest: }. ; SHEwALTEg. City Clerk. 46am
Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-23

Il have always noticed said an old en-.
gineer on the Burlington road to me, "that
whenever an accident happens to any train
many people avoid riding on that particular
train for some time afterward Now, the
fact Is, that is probably one of the safest
trains on the road for several weeks after its
accident. Every Switchman, station master,
watchman-in fine, every body along the line
Of the roads on the lookout for that train,
and you may depend upon it that every
switch will be set right for it. Then. too, the
same crew is likely TO be running the train,
and when men have been in smash up they
are always extraordinarily careful for some
time afterward, But Just the same a good
many people will wait for another train.
suppose it is sort of superstition. Surely it
Is not reasonable "-C Chicago News.
Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-23
LONELINESS or THE CAR.
Not Man in the World More Deeply
to be Pitied-The Nihilists.

There Is not a man in the world more
deeply to he pitieG than the present
emperor of Russia. The loneliness Of
kings, loneliness naturally resulting
from their place, which hardly admits OF
friendship, and does not admit of equality,
Is always terrible. and is frequently felt
by themselves 50 severely that they break
through all restraints of prudence and
moral law in order 10 be rid of it. Father
than not have friends, people before whom
they can diSrobe their minds and sit in
mental slippers, they will give all power
TO favorites, or TO women VINO could he
bought without any such sacrifices of
their states or their subjects. The loneli-
hess OF a car as absolute as a Caesar and
as swiftly obeyed. so far above his sub
jeCts that Count Tolstoi, in the admirable
series of historic sketches which he calls
''War and Peace and issues as a novel,
describes mobiles rs fainting with agitation
at the sight Of him. must be almost shock
ing. He Is so utterly master. he can SO
completely and instantly make and IN
make. the hostile eNertiOu of his will, if
he eXerted il would he so deadly i'll its
force that he can have no true equal, or
friend, or easy companion.
He NAV. like Alexander III. try to be
BON camdcrae, or. like many cZars sur
round himself with mistresses; but the
distance remains always too great for trut
friendship. or for any perfect alleviatioL
from society of the troubles of the mind,
any tightening of that burden of empire
which, when his word is always final, SO
presses on the conscience even of evil
kings. 1t is scarcely possible to he wholly
diSintereSted with "A ear if only for the
terrible powers his mere friendship places
in your hands, scarcely possible, either
for the car not Ia perceive or TO suspect
in every sentence uttered some concealed
intent In any nature such a position
must beget habitEal suspicion: and when
the czar is by nature or has b come
through cruel experience, gloomy, re
served and unSocial, the suspicipusness
must rise into mastering passion.
Add that the car has been d. diven by
the Nihilists into life of almost utter Sc
clusion; that he has reason to fear for his
life a, every hour in the day and from the |
most unlikely quarters; that he is de |
prived Of intimates by his virtues as well |
as by the dread he inspires, and that he |
has no children old enough To share his |
thoughts, and we may imagine TO what |
heights suspiciouSness may rise in him |
and how near To the sources of fury every |
thought may lie.-The Spectator.
Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-23

The republican party welcomes to its
ranks workingmen of all classes-that is Ia
say, of all those classes composed of good.
law abiding citizens. Indeed, the republi-
can party is all organization of working
men, mainly of farmers, mechanics and other
actual toilers-and the traditions and prip-
ciples of the party show that it has been
the friend and protector of the laborer
from its organization. 1t is the party that
has uniformly adopted and enforced the
idea of protection TO American industry
and il is now committed TO a protection
policy. And the republicans make no dis
tinction between the members of labor
organizations who avail themselves of their
constitutional privileges TO band together
and act for the promotion of ttEir own
interests, and those who, in the same way
exercise their rights as American citizens
by remaining outside of all such organza-
tions. According to republican principles
and policy neither class snould
be prosecuted nor Disseminated
against, and both classes will find that their
laudable and rightful aims can be better Sc
cured for them in the republican ranks than
through any other organiZatiOn--andc GER
tainly better than through any conglom-
Grated disorganizatiOn. Men of republican
sentiments and principles-whateyer their
vocation-should put themselves inside of
the republican party, and all classes and
varieties of republicans should work to-
gether harmoniously and happily within .
party lines. 1
Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-23
A FROSTY SUNRISE
Al, bitter beauty, How the fair, false frost

Al bitter beauty How the fair false frost
Burdens each leafess spray The ice buds croa
Thick midst the crystal foliage OF the snow.
Heaping their mockeres on hid life Embossed
With pearly wreaths, the eims' high domes have
lost
Their iatticed outlines, and their full curves
glow
From the up climbing glory hid below
The level bars of sunrise sapor crossed.
So let w stand and bear right patiently
The surface comment of the worlds cold
breath.
Since its pC nr blame and undelightf,iI praise
Reflect the light of better things to be.
SO spr'ad or roots in silence underneath,
And garner sap 10 flow in summer days.
F A. I'ridesux in The Spectator
Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-23

The Industrial Labor conference, held in
the Music hall, Cincinnati, Tuesday, was
fairly attended. Mr.. Richard Trevellick
was the temporary chairman. Committees
We're ordered appointed. composed OF one
from each state, on permanent organization,
rules on order of business, resolutions and
platform, national committee. AT the
evening session of the industrial conven-
tion the number of delegates was much
smaller than in the afternoon. owing To the
absence of many who We're engaged in COM
mittee meetings. letter was read from
General }. B. Weaver, OF Iowa, regretting
his inability 10 be present. He suggested
that the platform should chiefly relate To
vored the election of senators of the Jnited
States by direct vote of the people of the
states. He begged the convention TO not
put any new and startling principles in
the platform. In conclusion he said: go
ahead. strike hard. Thy people shall be
my people and thy God shall be my God"
The rule was suspended to allow the read
ing of a resolution favoring eight hours as
days work in all government. state and
municipal employment 1t was from Josiah
Kirby. of Cincinnati. The committee on
credentials reported all credentials in proper
form. The committee on permanent organ
ization reported for president, \. J. Strea-
tor. OF Illinois: vice-president, Richard f.
Treyellick. of Michigan. and one vice-pres-
ident from each state; secretary, NJ. ID.
Shaw. of Missouri; assistant secretary. W.
ID. Z. Bliss, OF Massachusetts; reading
clerk. George II. Lennon, of New York.
The report was unanimously adopted and
Mr.. Streator went 10 the chair and made a
hriaf address
Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-23
An OrdIn ZEE
Tn tnti.h fhA nat.a - Nfnr.N

To Abolish the Office Of Marshal
SECTION |. BE il ordained by the council Of
The city of Springfield. Ohio. That in the opin
lon OF council IL is eXpadient TO abolish. and
mat the office of marshal he. and the same Is
hereby abolished; Provided. however. that this
ordinance shall not affect the term Of Office of
any marshal who may have been elected before
It's pNSSage.
SEC : That an ordinance entitled. An or
Hlnance prescribing the duties and fixing the
COMPENSATION OF the city marshal" passed
NAV y, 1850. he, and the same is hereby re-
pea'ed. and this ordinance shall take effect
ana De 10 force from and after the earliest pc
riod allowed by law.
Passed February 22d. lSS7
W THOMAS President.
Attest: j. 5 SHEwALTER. City Clerk. am
Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-23

Mr.. Powderly does well TO try to put the
Knights of Labor out of politics. In the
breaks that have been made in that line by
the Knights they have not in any instance
promoted their own interests. The place
for republican Knights is within the lines of
the republican party.
Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-23

Mr.. Chas. +. BENJAMIN, who was former
ly a clerk in the war Department. under
Edwin NJ. Stanton. will con. ribute to the
March Century his personal recollections of
the Secretary. with much anecdOte setting
forth his characteristics. his relations with
Lincoln and Others. etc, etc. 4 frontis-
piece portrait of Stanton will be given.
Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-23
Astonishing i'ramp,,,es-

One of our school teachers was endeav-
oring to explain to a small boy in her
class the meaning of the word collision I"
She said: suppose two boys running on
the street should come together real hard,
what would there bcf'' "A fight re-
sponded the little fellow loudly and with
astonishing promptness, and the teacher
gave it up.-Bangor Commercial
Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-23
The World Growing Better.

An old Philadelphia detective is authority
Tor the statement that the world is growing
better. Most of the expert thieves, burglars,
md safe breakers are in jail, and many Of
them are dying every year in prison, while
the old sneak thieves are disappearing There
is much less crime than a few years ago.
Smart thieves are not taking the places of big
criminals, and rogues generally have much
less chance of escape than formerly.-ChicaSo
Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-23

The March Scribser contains several
papers of absorbing interest chief of which
is that by eX-MiniSter Washburne on the
Siege of Paris and the Reign of the Com
munP.
Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-23

of the dependent pension bill, vetoed by
the President, the Sandusky Register
says:
The vetoed bill was reported to the
House by a democratic committee made up
in part of men who served in the Southern
army. Ii was passed by a democratic
House and was supported generally by
democratic senators.